Flawed
by Fairady
Summary: How closely does blood bind? 1sentence challenge for Gabranth x Basch.


Disclaimer: Behold the mighty Square, for they own these characters and not I.

Warnings: Mentions of incest, slash, and spoilers.

Notes: I use the one sentence challenge to help get the feel for characters and/or pairings. This one did not work for me at all. I simply couldn't make this work very well, and it took me a lot of work to finish it. I'm not completely happy with the way it turned out, but I can't sit on this claim until I'm happy with it. Some parts turned out alright though. Feel free to say what you will about this.

Flawed  
by Fairady

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**#28 - Fortune**

The one tale they were never told as children --the one story they will _never_ know-- is of twin brothers who raised a great city from nothing and destroyed each other for it.

**#31 - Book**

Mother had one book that she used to teach them to read; sitting cheek to cheek before the fireplace they would take turns carefully sounding out the words.

**#01 - Motion**

It is the only thing that betrays their identities; Noah can never muster the patience to be still for long, and Basch cannot make himself imitate his brother's restless pacing without seeming too stiff.

**#10 - Learn**

And one night Noah discovers something completely new by himself, he does not bother to tuck himself back in before waking Basch; they quickly discover that it is much better with two.

**#03 - Young**

They prefer to bathe in a nearby lake; it is small enough to not attract monsters yet big enough for the boys to enact full scale wars, but --most importantly-- it is secluded.

**#29 - Safe**

"Yes," Noah agrees, but his smirk dashes any hope Basch might have of talking his brother out of his insane plan, "but the challenge is what makes it fun."

**#34 - Sing**

Noah sang, not very well but what he lacked in tune and pitch he more than made up for in volume and enthusiasm; at least that is the only answer Basch ever gives him.

**#45 - Naked**

It is not until pretty Natalia squirms --in disgust, not pleasure-- that they even begin to wonder if what they have might not be normal after all.

**#22 - Mad**

Basch walked on ignoring the fact that Noah stubbornly refused to move; he would eventually realize Basch was right about the path home and follow as soon as his pride allowed.

**#12 - Wait**

Noah ground his teeth when the first stars became visible --he did not _want_ Basch to be right-- he waited until morning to follow his brother.

**#23 - Child**

Their mother had laughed when they said they would share a wife, she did not laugh as much when they actually _tried_.

**#06 - Gentle**

Despite many sly speculations about the twins' tempers, Basch was the one who had a tendency to bite and scratch in bed, a fact that gained Noah a remarkable reputation in the barracks.

**#42 - Bother**

Noah thinks it hilarious how some people react when he kisses his brother.

**#50 - Believe**

Laughter echoes through the streets as the young soldiers return victorious, they lived and the Archadians would not win this war, and no one laughed louder or longer than the fon Rosenbergs.

**#35 - Sudden**

How the war turned so fast they did not know, one day the Archadians were almost routed and the next saw half the lands of Landis overtaken; Noah rages with much of the army, but Basch can only wonder at the family homestead now firmly behind enemy lines.

**#21 - Fool**

The dirty children begged for a trick, Noah laughed and easily flipped up to walk around them on his hands, and for a moment Basch forgot the war for their laughter.

**#33 - Never**

Basch is hot and delirious with fever and tries to remove the blankets wrapped tightly around him; Noah only holds him tighter to stop his thrashing, they only have each other now and Noah will _not_ allow his brother to be taken so easily.

**#08 - Thousand**

Noah watched the people stream by in uncountable numbers --broken men, bloodied women, frail elderly, sickly children-- the Archadians showed no mercy.

**#39 - Torn**

They argued constantly, Noah insisted that the Archadians needed to be stopped; Basch insisted that it was pointless for them to even try; neither man would back down and the nights were filled with stubborn silence.

**#26 - Goodbye**

Noah tastes blood as his brother kisses him, and he knows --anger rising swiftly-- that Basch will be gone with the sun.

**#07 - One**

The third night away from Landis was the worst, it was then that Basch accepted the fact that Noah would not realize he was wrong and follow him; it was the coldest night of his life.

**#11 - Blur**

Noah barely remembers it --the fall of the last stronghold, the harried running fight, the surrender, the flight to Archades-- all he clearly remembers is the awful burning ache that was Basch's fault.

**#46 - Drive**

Fifteen died at the plains, ten on the banks of the river, three _in_ the river, two in a forest, one to an unseen viper, four to a surprise attack, five to thirst; when King Raminas opened his gates to the remnants of Landis' people only Basch and old Jonas remained of the company assigned to protect them.

**#13 - Change**

Archades needed to be stopped, and while an army might not be what was needed Noah was beginning to think one man --placed just right within the system that _made_ Archades-- might be enough.

**#16 - Need**

Basch accepted the enlistment gratefully, the familiarity of a soldiers life the only thing keeping the wondering from driving him mad.

**#44 - Wall**

Noah freely gave up his name; the foreign thing was more damning in the eyes of Archades than any act he could commit.

**#48 - Precious**

Blood and birth rendered meaningless, all that is left to him is honor and duty, and nothing is more important than the vows he takes.

**#38 - Wash**

Azelas took to dunking Basch under the steamy water of the baths at the end of practice claiming the other man was far too distracted for his own good.

**#36 - Stop**

It is not until Drace _physically_ beats some sense into his head that Gabranth realizes he is lonely.

**#02 - Cool**

Under the relentless sun of Dalmasca, Basch misses the icy winds of home; amidst the small flurries of snow Archades calls blizzards, Gabranth cannot make himself miss it.

**#14 - Command**

Gabranth _knew_ from the moment he was ordered to grow his hair; after all any good Archadian knew what treachery could be done with twins.

**#49 - Hunger**

The Cadet is young enough to be Gabranth's son --eyes almost grey enough-- and his arrogance speaks of noble ties that will be nothing but trouble --mischievous look just like _him_-- and yet Gabranth _wants_ enough to close his eyes and pretend.

**#05 - Wrong**

There is nothing in Vossler that is familiar to Basch --skin far too dark-- he is strange in ways that Basch finds surprising --no scars, no memories-- it helps to distract him from how wrong it feels.

**#09 - King**

Raminas had no time to understand his own mortality, so complete was his trust in a familiar face; Gabranth feels something twist at the surprise that stays etched on the man's face.

**#17 - Vision**

For the longest time --he thinks time passed, it must have-- Basch was convinced the blow that nearly lost him an eye made him see things; that delusion was shattered one day when a man named Gabranth visited him.

**#32 - Eye**

Gabranth's first thought is one of relief that the blow had missed, his second is lost in a surge of anger, what should he care if Basch almost lost an eye to the dungeons care?

**#41 - Power**

Ondore was not the only pawn held in check by the imprisoned man, the regular reports of his brother's health were more than enough to keep Gabranth properly focused on his duty.

**#24 - Now**

Counting days nearly breaks his mind, remembering the past nearly brings him to tears, and contemplating the future nearly kills him; in the end, Basch finds that the best way to survive is to simply think of nothing beyond the current moment.

**#25 - Shadow**

Lately, the mere glimpse of Doctor Cid is enough to make Gabranth feel as if someone has trod on his grave.

**#47 - Harm**

Basch knows that he will face his brother soon and that it is likely one of them will die by the other's hand, because the Fates seem intent on leaving them no other option.

**#40 - History**

No sparks flew as their weapons met, but the air echoed old screams of pain and anger.

**#37 - Time**

There was no time left for regrets or old desires, Gabranth knew that even as he pulled himself to his feet, Larsa's life was far more important.

**#43 - God**

He has fought those called gods without hesitation, nothing else he does will compare to that; still, he hesitates outside of the room, the gasping breaths of his brother instilling a fear in him he has never felt before.

**#15 - Hold**

Blood fills Gabranth's mouth and his vision is fading, he knows his time is close, knows there is nothing to be done for it; still he holds tight to Basch's hand and tries his best to say everything he's never wanted to say.

**#19 - Soul**

Alive, Basch had never noticed the presence of Noah --always there, never going away-- but now, now there is a gaping abyss where his brother had once been, a pit he can _feel_ inside him.

**#30 - Ghost**

There are days when Gabranth feels an echo, a step, _something_, and he becomes irrationally convinced that Noah is there, just out of sight.

**#20 - Picture**

Shame, duty, honor, loyalty, oaths, and vows are rendered meaningless in comparison to the complex ruse that keeps peace; still Basch thinks it as small a price to pay as his birth name.

**#18 - Attention**

Few noticed the change in Judge Magister Gabranth, fewer suspected there was more to the change than a new ruler, but only Zargabaath guessed the truth.

**#04 - Last**

Gabranth was there to bury the woman known only as Gran Pen and said goodbye to the last living soul to know him.

**#27 - Hide**

No stories were told of them, no accounts written, so that when Judge Magister Gabranth died fifty years after the Shard War nothing remained to tell the lives of Noah and Basch.

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